Pine
cones are a fun accent for wreaths and floral arrangements, and they
also look beautiful displayed on their own on a mantel or coffee table.
While they are usually associated with fall or winter, pine cones can
enhance your home all year long, especially when they are bleached.
Bleaching gives the pine cones an aged, whitewashed patina that is works
for both modern and rustic décor schemes.
Place Pine Cones in a BucketLine
your work surface with newspapers in case the bleach splashes. Dust off
any excess dirt from the pine cones and place them in the plastic
bucket. For best results, bleach pine cones in small batches to make
sure that the gallon of bleach will cover all the pine cones in the
bucket. You can reuse the same gallon of bleach for more than one batch.
Pour Bleach Into the BucketSlowly pour the bleach into the bucket until the pine cones are covered.
Weigh Down the Pine ConesThe
pine cones need to be fully submerged in the bleach, but they will want
to float up to the surface. To prevent this from happening, place a
ceramic or glass plate on top of the pine cones with a brick on top of
the plate to keep it down. Wear rubber gloves at this point, as you will
be touching the bleach.
Let the Pine Cones Air DryLeave
the pine cones in the bleach overnight, for a maximum of 24 hours. You
will notice that the pine cones have closed up. Wearing rubber gloves,
remove the brick, plate and pine cones, and place the pine cones on
paper towels. Take the pine cones outdoors and let them dry naturally.
As they dry, they will open up again. The process usually takes one to
two weeks, depending on the humidity. Air drying them outdoors will
eliminate any bleach smell. If you wish to scent your pine cones, store
them in a sealed container with several drops of an essential oil for a
month.
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